Conversations About Health Care Delivery in the United States

When Will Technology Save the U.S. Health Care System?

In this episode, host Brian Elbel discusses the role of technology in improving and advancing the health care industry with leading expert Molly McCarthy. During their conversation they discuss the state of technology in the U.S. health system, what is available today and what will be available in the future, solutions technology can help advance and limitations of technology to solving certain problems, careers in health information technology (IT), and much more.

What is the Role of a Health Care Manager?

In this episode, hosts Jim Knickman and Brian Elbel discuss health care management with Dr. Zac Pruitt, an expert in health management and a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). During their conversation they discuss the similarities among the health care organization leadership team and a football organization, the importance of systems thinking in health care, the complexity of managing physicians and medical staff, the role of the board of directors, how managers can impact equity, exciting careers in health management, and more.

Is the U.S. Health Care System Stuck in Fee-for-Service Limbo?

In this episode, hosts Jim Knickman and Brian Elbel discuss health care economics and payment models with Dr. Sherry Glied, a leading economist and dean of NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. During their conversation they discuss how the health care industry in the United States is currently performing compared with itself and other countries, value-based payment models versus fee-for-service, factors driving the marketplace and the labor market, careers in health economics and finance, and much more.

How the VA Can Teach Us About Quality of Care

Listen in as hosts Jim Knickman and Brian Elbel discuss what it means to achieve quality excellence and how to be considered a highly reliable health care organization with Dr. Carolyn Clancy (assistant under secretary for health) and Kristi Groves (executive director, Office of Quality Management) for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). During their conversation they discuss the history of the VA integrated health system, define quality and quality management, explain how we measure improvement in quality management, explore careers, and much more.

Why Empathy is Essential for Achieving Health Equity

In this episode, hosts Jim Knickman and Brian Elbel discuss the challenges of advancing health equity with Dr. Jewel Mullen (associate dean for health equity at the University of Texas Austin Dell Medical School) and Dr. Lourdes Rodriguez (CEO of the Rockefeller Fund). During their conversation they discuss the importance of language, using awareness of health inequities in the health care system, technology and equity, empathy and love, and more.